David Bowie’s music appears a few times in the retro action movie Atomic Blonde, but director David Leitch originally wanted a bit more than just Bowie’s music. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leitch campaigned pretty hard to get Bowie himself in the movie, going so far as to write a character for him who would’ve appeared in the interrogation sequences that frame the film’s main story. Leitch says Bowie “really responded to the script,” especially in the way it involved Berlin and that “there was music and everything,” but he “respectfully declined” the offer to make a cameo appearance.
The Atomic Blonde crew heard about Bowie’s death while they were filming the movie, so Leitch says it was “even more special” that they were still able to get the rights to a couple of his songs at least. The Hollywood Reporter also touches on some of the film’s twists and turns, but they sadly don’t involve Davie Bowie at all.